Phoenix

So everyone who isn't deadset on going to Japan seems to be thinking South Korea. Just curious if anyone else is thinking about any other countries. I had an interview a couple days ago with a school in Taiwan and if they accept me I'm going (well unless JET upgrades me first). Another friend is heading off to Thailand. Just wanted to hear about other people's thoughts and plans.
If anyone ends up in Taiwan we should hang out!

__________________

mteacher80

I worked in China for a year, after studying at Beijing U. I really enjoyed it, however one or two years there was enough for me. Since i was there in 2001-2002 they have raised the pay of ALT type jobs but not that much. I was making about 400USD a month from my full time job and about 200 from my private jobs, which in china ment i could live in a great apartment, use taxis to go everywhere. go to the best clubs and even head to hong kong at least once a month (i lived in shenzhen in southern china) however i was only able to save about $1200 after a year and when i took a trip to japan to visit friends i totaly wiped out my half a year savings.
The teachers and students were great and actualy the level of english even at the elementary school i worked at was leaps and bounds better than jhs and hs here.
what program did you apply through to go to taiwan?

__________________
☆★If it's not an American Flag, then it's probably a bomb★☆

AliDimayev

I went to Taiwan for 3 months before. I loved it! i don't know about teaching there or anything....

__________________

Phoenix

Mark- thats why I'm thinking Taiwain and not China. I know you make enough to live on in China, but I want to save a little and I do have student loans. I actually studied at Beijing U too!! Just for a semester but it was a lot of fun. And I would be going through Reach to Teach if I get accepted to Taiwan.

__________________

Saitaman

I would vote Taiwan, but I would like to see China ssoon.

__________________
It may be better to live under robber barons than under omnipotent moral busybodies. The robber baron’s cruelty may sometimes sleep, his cupidity may at some point be satiated, but those who torment us for our own good will torment us without end for they do so with the approval of their own conscience.
-C. S. Lewis

AliDimayev

Taiwan is the real China, without the communisit propaganda. For example my friend who has moved from China to US 8 years ago to go to school has not set foot back in China and has no intention to.

__________________

Saitaman

They are more capatalist than we are these days.

__________________
It may be better to live under robber barons than under omnipotent moral busybodies. The robber baron’s cruelty may sometimes sleep, his cupidity may at some point be satiated, but those who torment us for our own good will torment us without end for they do so with the approval of their own conscience.
-C. S. Lewis

jboze84

Capitalism |= democracy!

UPGRAYEDD

what is that double perpendicular?

__________________
You see, gentlemen, a pimp's love is very different from a square's...
(郷に入っては郷に従え.)

cvmurrieta

I have considered Taiwan

__________________
I miss Reagan.

puma

a genuine fuckup, i reckon

Neb

haha, i think he means != which obviously means ≠

dombay

I love China. I think you can have a really amazing experience in China in one of many really awesome cities that are completely different to Japan.

I personally did China before I did Japan and I wouldn't change that now. While you're young China is an awesome place. When you get older I think Japan is more comfortable but as a young person I think China can be a really great place.

I think that's because you have to put more effort into China. Now I kind of like Japan I think because it takes less effort but straight out of uni before you get a bit set in your ways I think China might be better and then branch out to Japan.

Some places I would consider in China would be Hangzhou, Shanghai and Guangzhou (Canton) or Shenzhen. The latter two are complete holes but they're very close to Hong Kong which is the world's most awesome city and very easy to hang out in from them. Hangzhou is very close to Shanghai and you get there on the train in a couple of hours for weekend but Hangzhou is a great city in its own right. Shanghai is Shanghai and is a whole rainbow of amazing. Sometimes annoying but on the whole one of the world's great cities.

__________________
Melanie: back!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JZdDxFsopVs

'Oh it's so wonderful to be an older woman. All this old stuff to do'

nicklar

I spent nearly 6 years in Shanghai. Amazing place. However we just went back for a week and it's gotten a lot more expensive. Also, the place does wear you down a bit (you end up walking around with constant low-level agression), plus the pollution is crazy. I'm feeling like crap now after getting some awful chest infection.

__________________
********************
My Mother is a Tractor: A Life in Rural Japan - as unendorsed by ITIL

The unofficial JET-Programme Guide

Sun Kil Moon

I've always wanted to try Taiwan, but I taught in China for a bit and I agree strongly with the couple of posts above me, it's awesome.

I was teaching in Jiaxing, about 1 hour south of Shanghai and 1 hour north of Hangzhou(train costs only $2 Canadian or something crazy like that).

I can say as a caucasian english teacher, I was treated like royalty there. No word of a lie I paid for about 2 beers in my total time out at the clubs and bars. I remember my first time in a club I ordered my first beer, and a waiter came over to me telling me in bad english that the boss was 'very pleased' and motioning to follow him. So I followed him, was sat down beside the owner of the club, owner pours himself a drink, me a drink, drinks his and shows me the empty glass--and voila! A new friendship is born

Everytime I went to that club I paid for nothing, just danced and chilled with the owner, was taken out to dinner after the club closed, etc etc.

The other bars I went to I would have at least someone come over and set me up with drinks, or one guy even who was trying to set me up with a girl who was singing on stage.

Aside from that hospitality that I experienced, China is a very misjudged country that has a lot of good to offer. It's not everyone's cup of tea but I found it beautiful and welcoming.

My only warnings would be that
A) I found a TON of racism towards black people in my area, and the people couldn't really tell me why. Everyone told me they had never seen a black person except on TV, but on TV they seemed scary. However, just an hour north in Shanghai there's a lot more multiculturalism so it problem isn't a problem there.

B) It can be pretty dirty some places, and you have to get used to it. I had a conversation with a friend there about all the spitting that goes on, and horking on the streets--they told me that Chairman Mao was someone that a lot of people looked up to, and even in interviews with presidents, Mao would have a bucket to hork into. So the Chinese people didn't see it as a problem.

C) Although the people in china I met were the nicest, most helpful, generous people I have met(moreso than the people I met in all my travels to Cuba, Tokyo, California, all across Canada)------they haven't been taught many manners(at least where I was)
Constantly you'll have people budding in front of you for line ups, waving cash at the cashier, driving is scary as shit with stop signs being pretty optional, people will hork infront of you or cough nice and openly etc.

Moneywise, China is a great place to go if you have no debts back home, don't care about making tons of money to take home, but LOVE being able to spend spend spend and buy whatever you want for super cheap. My wage was 7000RMB a month which is only $1000 a month canadian(not much at all)...but in China the average wage was 2000RMB where I was...so..yeah...I could buy a ton of stuff and still have money left over easy.

Sorry for the long, jumbled post

vdog

Is it that obvious? I first learned "!=" with computer programming, has it entered the internet vernacular similarly to "/thread"??

@Ali, why were you in Taiwan?

AliDimayev

My friend has relatvies there. So we went there for the vacation.

__________________

Phoenix

Well I've been offered a position in Taiwan and I'm planning on accepting it. So good-bye JET. If anyone else is interested in Taiwan you should apply to Reach to Teach. They have a good rep. PM me if you have questions about Taiwan.

__________________

Neb

What are the perks (and downside)? (pay, rent, living expenses, teaching environment.. every other thing)

mteacher80

http://reachtoteachrecruiting.com/
it was easy to look up
Teach English in Taiwan - The Benefits of an ESL job

The moment you land in Taiwan, your host school will be waiting to greet you. The benefits of an ESL job teaching English in Taiwan will include the following:

1. A monthly salary of between NT$ 50,000-70,000+ (Currency Converter)
2. Up to four weeks vacation
3. Airport pickup
4. Assistance in finding permanent apartment a to your liking
5. Temporary housing for your first few weeks in Taiwan (if necessary)
6. An ARC (working visa to legally teach English in Taiwan)
7. Health insurance coverage
8. At Reach To Teach, we support you throughout your year (or more!) teaching English in Taiwan

__________________
☆★If it's not an American Flag, then it's probably a bomb★☆